BOSTON -- Federal law enforcement officials and marine biologists at the New England Aquarium in Boston are seeking the public's help in finding those responsible for shooting a young harp seal that was found dead on a Cape Cod beach.

Officials from the aquarium said the dead seal was discovered last week on Scusset Beach in Sandwich, Mass.

"The animal had been shot in the head with a blast from a shotgun," said Tony LaCasse, spokesman for the New England Aquarium.

LaCasse said the pellets did not penetrate the seal's skull and therefore marine biologists who examined the animal's carcass do not feel the shotgun blast is what killed it.

Regardless, law enforcement officials are looking to find and prosecute whoever is responsible for the shooting. LaCasse said seals are protected under the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.

LaCasse said the animal most likely swam into waters off Cape Cod from Canada within the last month.

"The same animal was spotted near a prominent boat ramp in Plymouth over the past week to 10 days. The (Aquarium scientists) handled it a lot. They tagged it," said LaCasse.

He said further tests are being performed to determine exactly why the seal died.